Ballon d'Or
Overview
The Ballon d'Or is the annual football award created by France Football in 1956. Its winners list links many of the most influential players in the history of the sport.
History
France Football created the Ballon d'Or in 1956, with Stanley Matthews becoming the first winner. Over time the award developed into one of football’s most recognised individual honours and its eligibility rules expanded beyond the award’s original European framework. The winners list provides a direct historical thread through different eras of elite football, from Matthews, Di Stéfano and Yashin through Cruyff, Beckenbauer, Platini, Ronaldo, Zidane, Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and later winners. Footballopedia treats the Ballon d'Or as an award hub connected to each winner, club and season represented in the database.